Erased
by Icepaw3
Summary: Roxas is a student suffering from TTM and Axel just might be the only person who can help.  TTM is short for Trichotillomania...Just FYI
1. Crawling in the Dark

**AN-Trichotillomania (TTM) is a neurological condition where the person with it feels extreme urges to pull out their hair. This topic is extremely important to me since I suffer from it. This condition is not widely known about, but it is just as important as other more well known conditions. TTM most often causes low self esteem which can lead to SUICIDE. If you or someone you know has this condition, feel free to email me at icepaw3 *at* yahoo *dot* com . I currently have two years and four months pull free. ****NOW on to the story!**

Shamelessly, the hair falls to the floor. It slips through the fingers as they reach for more. The familiar yank, the strange feeling that the brain desperately wants to understand. A bald spot is created, so the hands wander to another side. The hands pay no attention to the yelling parents outside the door. They serve a better purpose-distraction.

* * *

Slowly the boy walks through the halls, aware of every word his classmates say. He pretends the words do not hurt, pretends not to hear them.

"Heheh. Look at him. He has more spots today." "Yeah I know. I don't know why he doesn't just shave it all off. It'll be faster than just ripping it out." "Whoa! Bald spot!" "I seen a commercial about balding yesterday. Do you think I should tell him about it?" "No way! He'll probably just rip it all back out." "Hahaha! You're right."

He grits his teeth and keeps walking. He reaches his locker, only to find that someone glued a wig to it. He ignores the snickering behind him, opens his locker, grabs his books, and goes to class. The teacher greats him with a smile, but he knows it only out of pity. He still waves in return and takes a seat near the back.

The rest of the class shuffle in seconds before the late bell rings. The teacher takes attendance and the class talks about the dance later. The boy stares out the window, watching the cars as they drive by.

"Ok, class. We have a new student today. His name is Axel Ethne," the teacher said before going to the door. She opened the door and _he_ walked in. He was tall and thin, with deep red hair and poison green eyes rimmed with thick eyeliner. He wore black and red plaid pants with a red shirt and black jacket.

"Why don't you tell us some things about yourself?" The teacher asked. _Axel_ nodded once and then shrugged.

"I'm seventeen, I like industrial music, and I'm a pyro. Got it memorized?" He glances around only for a few seconds before asking the teacher where he should sit. The teacher looks for an open seat and points toward the back of the room.

"In back shall be fine. Roxas could use some company."

And it's true. None of his classmates want to sit next him. They don't want to sit next to the weirdo who pulls his hair. The blonde haired boy tenses as _Axel_ sits down. He quickly looks down at his desk and pretends to read. A pale hand waving in front of his face startles him and he jumps up. The boy notices strange markings on Axel's wrist as he pulls his hand away.

"Soooo…You must be Roxas. I'm Axel. Spelled just like the car thingy. Although you probably figured that out. Anyway, you don't mind if I ask you stuff right? You seem more like the kind of person I would hang out with. Everyone else is a little too preppy or jockish for me.

The boy only turns away, desperate to have the attention off him. He doesn't want Axel to notice. He doesn't want to be made fun of. He never asked to be this way. And so, he tries to hide, even though he just wants to be accepted. Axel gives him a weird look before turning to face the front.

* * *

The boy sits alone at the table, using his fork to stab his food. Lunch was the worst time for him. Several classes thrown into one room. Over one hundred students. All of them eager to make fun of him.

"Hey! Roxas! Here, I think you dropped this." A handful of hair is dropped in his lunch, but Roxas only looks at it with vague interest. This was nothing new. It was the same joke always from Seifer. Roxas grabs the hair and lets it fall to the floor.

"It's not the right color, which means it's not mine. My hair isn't black. Just leave me alone."

Seifer only laughs and walks away, loudly calling him a 'Freak.'

Roxas stares at his ruined food and his eyes begin to water up. He wishes he was normal. He wishes he could stop. He wishes he could disappear. His eyes continue to water and he slaps his sleeve against them. He refuses to cry where _they_ can see. Still wiping his eyes, Roxas stands to throw his food away. He is stopped by a hand on his shoulder. As he turns, he sees the same strange markings on the wrist. Axel's wrist.

"Hey, you mind if I sit with you? You're the only person I recognized." Axel sits down without waiting for a reply, and he tugs Roxas back down into his seat. Roxas sits, tense, as Axel begins to talk.

"Is it just me, or does everyone here have 'asshole' written into their DNA? I've already been asked if I'm emo about thirty times. Do they not understand that a person can wear black and NOT write depressing poetry? And the teachers! Three of them have asked if I'm depressed or suicidal, again because I'm wearing black. It's only the lunch time and I want to go home. And this food tastes like crap."

Roxas doesn't know how to respond. Axel is the only person to even try to start a conversation with him since he transferred schools. He takes a quick glance at Axel and notices he's waiting for a reply.

"W-well, um, this is a Christian school. Everyone here is expected to act a certain way or be labeled as a freak, I guess. And the teachers think that black is Satan's color, or something like that."

"Hmmm…You have a nice voice. Kind of soft, but still nice."

Roxas openly stares at Axel, stunned. It's been so long since he received a complement that Roxas doesn't know what to do. His faces flushes and he turns away. He shivers as Axel grabs his shoulder and turns him around. Roxas looks down toward the ground for only a few seconds before Axel tilts his head up and leans down. Roxas is saved by the bell.

* * *

The bus ride home was just as rowdy as usual. Several people threw paper airplanes at him, and someone tried to trip him as he walked off the bus. Roxas tried to get home as quick as possible, trying to make sure the bus could still see him. But it wasn't meant to be. The bus pulled away and he was jumped seconds later, about ten feet from his house. He doesn't try to fight back; he just waits for it to be over.

"HEY! What the FUCK do you think you're doing?"

Roxas recognizes the voice and nearly cries. The person on top of him is pulled away and Roxas tries to stand up. He can't because his leg is twisted, so he just watches. The person who jumped him was Rai, one of Seifer's lackeys. The person who saved him is Axel. Roxas doesn't wonder how Axel knows how to fight, he doesn't wonder why Axel was nearby, and he doesn't wonder why Axel saved him. All he can think is 'Why me?' Again Roxas tests his leg and barely makes it to his feet. He watches the fight for a few seconds, just long enough for him to tell that Axel is going to win, and limps home.

**AN- Please Review! Even if you only use one word, please review.**


	2. Giving In

**AN- I forgot to mention this but Axel's last name is Celtic for 'fire'. And Sonoma is an American Eskimo Dog. They're soooo cute! ^_^**

* * *

Roxas opens the door to his house slowly. His parents were arguing and the dog was hiding. He climbs the ramp to his room and shuts the door. Lying on his bed, he tries to block out the fighting, but can't.

"It's YOUR fault our kids are messed up!" "My fault? You're the bitch that gave birth to them! They're your responsibility! You wanted kids!" "And you wanted them just as much as I did! The responsibility is shared!" "Shared? How can I help take care of them when one won't talk to me and the other one hides in his room all day? You give me an answer!" "Well if you weren't DRUNK all the time, maybe you could try to be a father to them!"

Roxas grabbed at his pillow and held it over his head. He could still hear the yelling, and his hands began to wander.

"You're drunk again aren't you?" "I don't see what that has to do with anything!" "GET OUT! Get out now, or I'll call the cops!" "This is MY house! If anyone is gonna leave, it's you!"

Roxas heard whining and looks up to see Sonoma, his dog. Her eyes are wide and she's shaking. Roxas reaches out and gently pets her head before patting the bed. Sonoma jumps up a second latter and presses against him as the yelling intensifies.

"You're such a useless whore! I don't know why I ever married you!" "You married me for Cloud, remember? You said you'd be the best father on the planet and look how that turned out!" "How do I even know he's MY kid, huh?" "Not once have I ever cheated on you and you know it!" "Bullshit! I KNOW that Roxas isn't my kid." "Oh really? And who told you that?" "No one. I know that any kid of mine isn't gonna be messed up in the head, so he obviously isn't mine!" "GET OUT! I'm calling the cops!"

There was a hand that gently touched his shoulder. Roxas looked up to see his brother, Cloud. He looked worn and tired. Roxas pulled the pillow up to cover his face, hiding the bruises and cuts.

"Have they been fighting all day?" Roxas asked, although he knew the answer. Cloud nodded.

"They've been at it since you left for school. But that's nothing new. Did you see our new neighbors yet? Someone moved into the house next door."

Roxas froze. Someone had moved into _that house_. _That house_. The source of Cloud's problems. Roxas shook his head.

"N-no, I haven't been over. Did you want to great them?"

Cloud nods and his hands fall down to grip the wheels of his wheelchair. He starts to leave the room, but catches sight of Roxas' bruised leg. His hand flies up and yanks the pillow away. Roxas throws his hands up, but Cloud sees the bruises and cuts before he can cover them.

"What the hell happened? Were you jumped again? I thought you said they stopped?"

"It's nothing, just forget about it. Let's go see the neighbors."

Cloud knows that arguing would only make this worse and sighs. He pretends not to notice the new bald spot or the wad of hair lying on the bed.

"At least let me clean you up and bandage your leg. It looks pretty bad."

Roxas only nods and follows him to the bathroom. Their parents continue to fight, and Sonoma runs off and hides.

"Hey Roxas, could you wheel me over there after I patch you up? My arms are tired."

Roxas nods as Cloud pours hydrogen peroxide onto a cloth and begins to clean his leg.

* * *

Roxas looks up at the hated house and wishes he could destroy it. Wishes it had never been built. The once beautiful house was tainted by horrifying memories. Memories of his brother lying in the street. His hands tighten on the handles of Cloud's wheelchair as he notices something that he had never really paid attention to before-the stairs. Cloud turns slightly and looks up at Roxas.

"Leave me here and go knock on the door. You won't be able to pull me up the stairs."

Roxas hesitates but still goes up to the door. After a second he begins to pound on it mercilessly.

"Alright! Alright! I'm coming! Jeeze, just hold on a second!"

The door opens to show a man who looks to be in his late thirties or early forties. He had long red hair tied back into a ponytail. His eyes were a sea green color and there were red tattoos along his cheek bones. Roxas thought he looked like a grown up version of Axel. The man looked him over before raising an eyebrow.

"Who are you, and why did you feel the need to beat my door?"

Roxas hesitates for a moment, but as soon as he is about to reply he's cut off by yelling.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! That hurts, Kairi! Would it kill you to be a little nicer?" 'Well it's your own fault for getting in a fight. What were you thinking?" "I wasn't just gonna let him get the shit kicked out of him." "These cuts are kinda deep right here. It's gonna hurt." "Well warn me before yo-HOLY SHIT!" "I told you they would hurt." "You have to be the worst sister anyone could ever have." "Love you too. Hmmm, there. All done. And if I catch you trying to burn them, I swear you will regret it." "That's a weird way of expressing love." "I do my best. Anyway, I heard someone knocking on the door downstairs. I don't know if Dad answered it, so you go check." "I live to serve."

Roxas froze at the voice. It made so much sense now. It explained why Axel had been there to save him. It made so much sense that Roxas wondered why he hadn't thought of it before. And the girl named 'Kairi' had said something about their Dad, so that meant the man in front of him was their _Father_. Roxas looked at the man closely and saw the similarities. The man gave an exasperated sigh.

"You mind holding on for a second?"

Roxas shook his head. The man nodded before walking back into the house. Roxas used the time to go back down to Cloud. Cloud looked up at him and asked, "Where'd he go?"

"He went back inside. S-someone was arguing with someone else, so I think he went in to sort it out."

"And you know one of them."

Roxas froze. He had forgotten how perceptive his brother could be.

"Y-yeah. He goes to my school and he's in some of my classes. He…seems nice."

"I'm glad. You could use some friends."

Roxas wacked Cloud on the head. He crossed his arms as Cloud began to laugh.

"Roxas! You're ok!"

Roxas glanced up in time to see Axel run toward him only to trip on the last stair. He managed to catch himself before he hit the ground. As soon as he regained his balance, he was running toward Roxas again. Roxas stiffened as he was caught up into a hug and lifted off the ground. He could feel Axel bury his face into his neck, and found it slightly awkward. The look on Cloud's face was worth it.

* * *

**AN- Soooo…I'm taking four college level classes, and I know that the chapters are relatively small, but I'm aiming for an update at least every two weeks. I officially HATE AP classes. The homework takes hours to do. (X_X) And Lang. Comp. kills all creativity I have…**


	3. Fadeaway

**AN- The teacher's name means 'Empty'! Mainly cause she's not really important to the story. NOW! Onto the story! (^_^)/**

* * *

Twisting and twining through the fingers. Its comforts lasting only seconds. Sometimes not even noticing the pull, the fingers continue. They slide across the scalp, feeling the sharpness of the new growth. They search for one that doesn't quite fit in, one that feels weird. The sharp pull, and then they're searching again. Sliding across the new growth. The conscious never noticing.

* * *

Roxas waited impatiently at the bus stop. He could hear whispering behind him and the occasional laugh. It didn't matter if they were talking about him or not, he still felt nervous. Cloud called him paranoid. Roxas said he was just preparing and bracing himself. There was more laughter and Roxas tried to curl in on himself. Roxas felt a paper ball hit him on the back of the head, followed by more laughter.

"Darn! I missed it!" "How could you miss it? It's huge." "There are a lot, so how do you even know which one I was aiming at?" "You threw it at his head. That's enough proof." "True."

Roxas hunched over and tried to disappear. Another paper ball hit him in the head as a car stopped right in front of the bus stop. Its red paint was chipping and there were numerous patches of rust. The window rolled down to reveal Axel.

"Hey! Roxas! You want a ride?"

Roxas was about to say no, but another paper ball hit him. He opened the back door and climbed in. In the passenger front seat was a girl about the same age as Roxas with dark red hair. As soon as Roxas had his seat belt on, Axel drove off. The girl turned around and looked Roxas over.

"Hi, I'm Kairi, Axel's younger sister. Sorry I didn't come out yesterday to say hi, but I had to cook dinner."

"O-oh. It's ok."

Axel used the rear view mirror to look at Roxas.

"I gotta drop Kairi off first. She doesn't look it, but she's in eighth grade. Don't worry, we won't be late."

Roxas nodded and looked down. A hand was waved in front of his face and Roxas jumped up, surprised. Kairi gave him a weird look.

"You don't talk much do you?"

Roxas shook his head and Axel let out a laugh.

"After hanging out with us, you'll be laughing your ass off at the dumbest things."

Kairi nodded in agreement.

* * *

It turned out that Kairi went to one of the public schools on the other side of town. By the time Axel and Roxas arrived at their school, the five minute bell was going off and they had to run to class. Axel was laughing while Roxas had a panicked look on his face. They reached their class seconds before the late bell rang. Roxas was gasping as he walked to his seat, whereas Axel looked slightly out of breath. The teacher looked up to see the two plop down into their seats.

"Well, you two just barely made it. I was about to count you absent."

Axel smiled and said, "I'll never be later for your class, Mrs. Inanis," and then leaned over to whisper, "I'll just skip sometimes," to Roxas.

Roxas shook his head, a grin appearing on his face.

Axel stared at him for a second before leaning back over to his desk. He pulled out a piece of paper and began scribbling furiously on it. When he finished writing, he folded it up and threw it onto Roxas' desk. It startled Roxas, who jumped in his desk. Roxas sent a weird look at Axel who responded with a sheepish grin. Roxas frowned and opened the note.

_Hey, you have a nice smile. I think you should smile more often. Show off those pearly whites! Anywho, are you taking pre-cal? Cause I'm gonna need help in that class. …I barely passed geometry._

Roxas' eyebrows furrowed as he thought of a way to answer.

**Yeah, I'm in pre-cal, but what hour do you have it?**

Roxas throws the note perfectly and hits the center of the desk. Axel quickly unfolds the note and reads it. Axel tilts his head to the side as he writes his reply. Roxas feels the note hit his head.

_Fourth hour. Right before the nasty as HELL lunch. Anyway, you think you can help me?_

Roxas quickly reads the note and writes his reply.

**How do you have fourth hour? You weren't in that class yesterday**.

_? What do you mean?_

Roxas found himself grinning. It had been years since anyone had passed him a note. It was childish, but it made him feel a little important.

**I have fourth hour pre-cal. You weren't there yesterday.**

_Oh! There was a problem with my scheduling. I signed up for Japanese but they put me in French. I missed a couple classes getting it sorted out._

Roxas laughs a little. Someone was asking him for help. Him, no one else.

**…I guess I could help you. But you do know that pre-cal and geometry are completely different classes, right? I did horrible in geometry but I have an A in pre-cal. And I'm in Japanese II, so you can ask for help if you need it.**

_That would be awesome. The writing system scares me a little._

**It's not as bad as it looks. It's actually quite simple. Most of it is memorization.**

_Cool. Well, I'll see you in pre-cal._

Roxas was confused for a second, but when he looked around the room, he noticed the bell had rung.

* * *

Roxas stared at the clock, waiting for the bell to ring. His foot tapping the floor, his pencil gripped in his hand. Roxas couldn't remember when he had last been this excited about going to a class. It seemed that Animal Science had dragged on, as if it were taunting him. When the bell rang, he jumped out of his seat. He was half way down the stairs when someone tripped him. He fell hard, crashed down onto the floor, and curled up. His fingers clutched at his chest, but, after pressing his fingers gently against his chest, he found that nothing was broken. Heavily bruised, but not broken. He knows what broken bones feel like.

"Oh my gosh! Are you ok?"

Roxas felt a hand on his shoulder, but he flinched away from it.

"I'm fine," He said as he began picking up his stuff. He reached for his pre-cal book, but a slender hand grabbed it and handed it to him. Roxas looked up into bright blue eyes.

"Here. I grabbed some of your other things, too."

Roxas didn't recognize her. She was pretty, with straw blonde hair. Her dress was white and so were her sandals. She was carrying only a sketch book. She looked at him with concern in her eyes.

"Do you need to go to the nurse? I'll help you if you need it."

Roxas shook his head and grabbed the rest of his things. "I'm going to be late for class. Thanks for your help."

The girl smiled and said, "No problem. By the way, I'm Namine."

"…I'm Roxas."

"Nice to meet you, Roxas! Watch those stairs next time, ok?"

Roxas nodded, and then ran to class.

* * *

**AN- This story seems to write itself…I didn't mean to add Namine so early…Anyway! Tell me what ya think so far! I wanna get BETTER!**


	4. Easier to Run

**AN- I added a funny part. …although it is a scary concept to think about… Larxene...*shudders* **

* * *

Roxas walked into pre-cal limping slightly and took his seat at the back. It hurt to breath. He rubbed his throbbing ribs, and vaguely heard the bell ring. He was aware of Axel, who had decided to take a seat next to him. He could hear Mr. Insolitus as he explained how to complete the square to solve the problem. Axel's hand tapped him on the shoulder and it sent a shock wave of pain through his body. Roxas jolted in his seat. Axel pulled his hand back, startled.

"You ok, Roxas?"

Gently, Axel put his hand on Roxas' back. Roxas shuddered from the pressure and pulled away.

"D-don't, Axel. That hurts."

"What happened, Roxas?"

"N-nothing."

"Liar." Axel then turned toward the teacher and raised his hand. Roxas' eyes went wide and he swatted at Axel's hand.

"It's nothing. Please, put your hand down."

"Nope."

Mr. Insolitus looked up and saw that Axel's hand was up.

"Yes, Axel? What is it?"

Axel slowly pulled his hand down while saying, "Can I take Roxas to the nurse? I think he's having trouble breathing."

Mr. Insolitus gave Roxas a concerned looked.

"Is this true Roxas?"

"It's nothing…"

The teacher sighed, then walked to his desk.

"I'll write you both a pass."

* * *

"I'll need you to take your shirt off."

Roxas shuddered, then gripped the edges of his shirt. He really didn't want to go to the nurse, but Axel had practically dragged him. Some of the nurses were creepy and some acted like they had better things to do. Roxas was lucky that Mrs. Belle was the nurse that called him in. She was nicer than the other nurses, especially Ms. Larxene. He shuddered at the thought of her being his nurse. Mrs. Belle pulled on the sleeve of his shirt, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"I can't help you if I can't find out what's wrong, Roxas."

Roxas pulled his shirt over his head and set it down next to him on the bed. Mrs. Belle looked pointedly at Axel.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Roxas reached out and grabbed the e of Axel's jacket, stopping him from leaving the room.

"I don't mind if he's in here."

Mrs. Belle sighed, "Just this once Roxas."

Axel plopped down into the seat across for the table. Roxas blushed faintly as he watched Axel look him over. He wasn't used to this much attention, and Axel staring at him didn't help.

"Sit down on the bed, please."

Roxas nodded and watched as she pulled out a stethoscope. She placed it directly against Roxas' chest and he flinched from the cold.

"Take a deep breath for me, please."

Roxas started to breathe in but stopped as soon as it started to hurt. His hands clutched at his chest as he remembered ways to block the pain. Mrs. Belle watched him, then placed the stethoscope on his back.

"I think I know what's wrong, but I'm going to have to ask you to take one more deep breath."

Roxas nodded and tried to breathe in as deep as he could. He knew what to expect, so he ignored the pain when it showed up. Mrs. Belle pulled away and put the stethoscope away.

"This is probably going to hurt, but bear with me, ok?"

Roxas braced himself as Mrs. Belle began pressing on his chest. Her fingers pushed on a painful spot that had Roxas hissing in pain. After pressing a few more spots, she pulled away.

"The good news is that nothing's broken. The bad news is that your lungs are bruised."

Axel leaned forward. "What?"

Mrs. Belle gave Roxas his shirt. "The bruising isn't bad, so he doesn't need to go to the hospital. He'll be fine in a of couple weeks."

Roxas quickly threw his shirt on and jumped off of the table. He was about to walk out when Mrs. Belle grabbed his arm.

"Wait just a second. There are some things you're going to have to do to get better."

"I thought you said I would be fine?"

"You will if you do as I say."

Roxas sighed before heading to the seat next to Axel. He yelped in surprise as Axel tugged him onto his lap. Roxas swallowed as Axel rested his chin on his shoulder.

"I think I'm comfortable than a plastic chair."

Mrs. Belle raised on eyebrow, but said nothing. She stood and walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a bottle. She opened it and shook two pills out.

"Take these to help take the swelling and pain down. Now pay attention. Everyday for the next week, you need to do breathing exercises. You'll need to take deep breathes, about five, and hold them as long as you can. Once after you wake up, once before lunch, and once before you go to bed. Make sure to do them in the bathroom, because you're going to be coughing up the blood from the bruises. Don't worry about it because that's supposed to happen. It'll hurt at first but you need to expand your lungs to help them heal. Understood?"

Roxas nodded. Axel slipped his arms around Roxas' waist and said, "I'll make sure he does them."

Mrs. Belle nodded. "I need to write you a pass to class now don't I?"

They left the nurses office three minutes before class got out. Roxas began to walk back to class to grab his things, but Axel pulled him into the bathroom.

'What are you doing?"

"It's before lunch, Roxy. Do your breathing stuff."

Roxas raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. Axel gave him a gentle push toward the sink. "I want you to get better, Roxas. Please?"

Roxas looked at Axel, studying his face. He looked so worried that it surprised Roxas. The only person who had cared about him was Cloud, and yet Axel was obviously worried. He felt warm at the thought. Then he turned to the sink and started breathing.

He coughed up a lot. Some of it was bloody, some of it wasn't. Axel stayed with him and rubbed his back the entire time.

* * *

They made it to lunch with ten minutes. Axel scarfed down his food while Roxas picked at his. Axel nudged Roxas, causing him to drop his fork. Roxas left it on the floor. He wasn't very hungry anyway.

"Hey, you think you can explain what 'complete the square' is? We missed class and I've never heard of it before."

"Well... Do you know anything about quadratic functions?"

"What?"

Roxas shook his head as he grabbed Axel's empty tray, along with his, and threw it out. When he came back, Axel had hidden his chair. He was patting his lap with a grin on his face. Roxas just took a chair from another table. Axel frowned before asking, "You think I can come over later so that you can explain it to me?"

Roxas bit his lip. "My house isn't a good idea."

"Well, you think you can come over to my place? I really can't afford to fail that class. I'll lose my scholarship."

Roxas froze. Scholarships were only given to students who's parents were barely paying their own bills. "Y-you're on scholarship?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Axel gave him a stare, his eyebrow raised.

Roxas looked down. "Nothing, I was just surprised. I'm on scholarship too."

Axel stretched and his hand 'accidentaly' landed on the back on Roxas' chair.

"Hmmm. What'd you do to bruise your lungs."

The bell rang exactly as Roxas replied, "I just tripped on the stairs."

They both stood and grabbed their things. Roxas turned to go to class, but Axel grabbed his arm and spun him around. Roxas froze as he felt lips press against his. Axel pulled away a second later and said, "More like someone tripped you."

Roxas watched as Axel waved good-bye and walked to class. His face was bright red as he left for his own class.

* * *

**AN- I know I probably messed up the whole 'bruised lung thing' but my dad had bruised lungs and that's what the doctor told him to do...It was some pretty nasty stuff... BTW- Each chapter is named after a song that I think represents the story. If you're curious, message me and I'll tell you the bands.**


	5. Morphine

**AN-I apologize for spelling mistakes! I had to switch from microsoft word to a notepad that is lacking in spell check. I'm trying to ****catch them all ****(I choose you , PIKACHU!), but if you find something, PLEASE tell me so I can fix it. Beware of cheesy car/romantic/fluff/stuff. For this chapter italic=memories or stuff that happened in the past.

* * *

**

The mirror doesn't lie. The hands pull the hair up so the eyes can see. The patches, so obvious, reflect back. The image blurs and the hands drop. The body wavers and drops to its knees. The hands clutch at the face as tears pour. The mirror can't lie. The mind wants to stop. But the hands wander again, and the mind is left worse than before. The tears keep falling.

* * *

The ride home was awkward for Roxas. Axel had practically dragged him to his car, causing him to miss the bus and leaving him no other choice but to get a ride from Axel. Roxas couldn't help but think of what happened at lunch. He felt his face flush and turned to look out the window. Axel gently poked him on the shoulder.

"I gotta pick Kairi up."

Roxas nodded, not turning from the window. An awkward silence followed. After several minutes, Axel said, "Do you like industrial music?" It was obvious that the question was forced.

Roxas shook his head. "I don't really know what that is."

Axel grinned. "It's a little like electronic, with some rock mixed in. You mind if I play a cd?"

"I don't mind."

The car returned to the awkward silence. Axel pulled up to a stop sign and put the car in park.

"Why won't you look at me?"

The question startled Roxas, who turned around and locked his eyes with Axel's.

"What do you mean?"

Axel sighed before answering, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. Why would you ask that?"

"Did you not like it, or..."

Roxas tilted his head, trying to understand what Axel was thinking. His face flushed red when he realized what Axel had just asked.

"N-no! I mean, yes, I liked it but, you just surprised me. No one-no one's ever done that before. I mean, no one ever showed any interest in me like that. It just startled me, that's all. I wasn't expecting it."

Axel's hand flew up and rubeed Roxas' head. "Oh thank god. I thought you were angry with me for a second there."

Axel's hand brushed one of Roxas' bald spots and Roxas flipped out. He yanked Axel's hand away and covered his head with his hands. His eyes were wide and fearful. He didn't want Axel to call him a freak. He'd already lost his friends from before. He didn't want to lose Axel, too.

"Don't touch my head. Please, don't."

His voice was shaking and he was on the verge of tears. Gently, Axel pulled Roxas' hands from his head and held them, his thumbs rubbing calm, soothing circles on Roxas' palms.

"Roxas, I know. It's ok. They don't bother me. I can see them. Hell, I've even watched you make them. I don't care. That's not what I think of when I think of you."

Roxas started crying. Axel reached one hand up and cupped the side of Roxas' face. His thumb rubbed the tears away as he leaned forward.

"I'm going to kiss you."

Gently, Axel pressed his lips against Roxas'.

The car honking behind them ruined the moment.

* * *

Roxas glared at Axel. After arriving at Kairi's school, Axel remembered that she was going to be in a art club meeting that lasted until five. They had reached the school around three thirty, only to have to drive back. The two currently were at Axel's house, attempting to study. Axel knew how to solve the problems, but he rushed through them and made many mistakes. Roxas frowned as he looked over another messed up equation.

"Axel, you need to slow down. You're trying to do too much in your head, and that's causing you to make stupid mistakes."

Axel groaned and banged his head against the table. The two were sitting at the table in the kitchen. At first Axel had tried to give Roxas a tour, but he had strongly refused. Axel had noticed the panicked look on Roxas' face as he walked in the house, and again when he refused the tour. Axel didn't ask about it, hoping that Roxas would tell him when he was ready.

Roxas reached over and tugged the pencil from Axel's hand, and began writing.

"See? This is where you messed up."

Roxas slid the paper over but Axel only saw scribbles. He folded the it into a paper airplane and threw it at Roxas. He missed and it flew off somewhere.

"Can we move on to something else? This math stuff is frying my brain."

"Did you have any questions about Japanese?"

Axel layed his head against the table, his hair flopping forward into his face. "Let's play twenty-one questions."

"W-what!"

Axel grinned up at Roxas. "You know you want to."

Roxas frowned, but agreed to play. "Nothing perverted," he said, his face turning red.

Axel gave him an evil grin before asking, "What's something that turns you on?"

"AXEL!"

Roxas' face went bright red and he started stammering, his hands holding the edge of the table in a death grip.

"T-that's not...Y-you shouldn't...Why...Oh my god...I-I don't..."

"I'm waiting. If you answer it, I'll answer it."

Their game was interupted by the sound of someone entering the house.

"Yo! Anyone home?"

Axel sighed, before saying, "Dad's home."

Roxas looked up. He remembered that his dad had long red hair and tattoos. Axel walked out of the kitchen toward the front door.

"Hey, Dad. How's your day been?"

"Don't call me 'Dad'! Makes me feel old."

"You are."

Roxas listened to the bickering before standing to go to the bathroom. He'd been in the house several times before, so he knew his way around. He hated the fact that he was so familiar with the cursed building. On his way to the bathroom, he passed _that man's_room and Roxas froze. He shook as he stared at the closed door. Memories passed through his mind.

_"Check his vitals!"_

_"He's loosing too much blood! What's his blood type?"_

_"Worry about that later! Get him in the ambulance and to the hospital!"_

_"Cloud! Cloud! Don't take him! Please!"_

_Someone pulled Roxas away from the pool of blood, but not before he had reached Cloud. Roxas had run has hand up Cloud's back in an effort to find the source of the blood. He found something else, but was pulled away before he could figure out what it meant._

_"Come here Roxas. He'll be ok. They'll take care of him."_

_Roxas was pulled into a hug by one of his neighbors. He was in too much shock to recognize who it was. He watched as Cloud was put into the ambulance, then watched as it drove away. Some of his neighbors attempted to calm his father down, but a fight broke out instead. Roxas paid no attention to it, choosing to watch the ambulance until it disappeared from his sight._

_"W-why?"_

_"That car didn't stop, but he'll be fine. Cloud's a strong boy. Relax Roxas."_

_Roxas began crying. "It felt wrong!"_

_"I know that was a lot of blood, but-"_

_"NO, NO, NO! His spine! It felt wrong!"_

_His neighbor fell silent, then cursed under her breath._

_"I'm sure he'll be fine."_

Roxas turned from the door, _his_ door, and continued down the hallway. When he reached the bathroom, he locked the door, then sank to his knees and cried.

* * *

Cloud stared at the house, trying to think of a way to get up the stairs. He had seen Roxas walk into the house along with Axel, so Cloud knew he was here. His hands tightened on the wheels of his wheelchair.

"Damn it."

Cloud looked around for something he could throw at the house, but saw nothing. He was contemplating pulling himself up the stairs when the door opened and someone walked out. Cloud recognized him. It was the man from before, Axel's father. It was apparent that the man was an officer and was either leaving for work or had just returned home because he still had his uniform on. They stared at each other for several seconds before the red head asked, "Who're you?"

"My name is Cloud. I'm Roxas' older brother. I'm here to tell him to come home."

The man looked him over before asking, "Your last name Strife?"

"Yes, why?"

"No wonder you look familiar. Yer dad named Karan?"

"Yes, again why?"

The man let out a laugh before answering, "Cause I pulled him over for drunk driving and threw his ass in jail for the night. Your mom already tried to get him out, but I decided to leave him in there after I saw his record. That's a lot of DUIs."

Cloud's eyebrows went up in surprise.

"You kept him there? The other cops would let him go."

"I'm not like other cops. Anyway, you were asking for Roxas, right?"

"Yes, Mr...?"

"Just call me Reno. Calling me Mister makes me feel old," he said before turning and yelling, "Roxas! Your brother's here!"

Roxas came to the door a little bit later, followed by Axel. He was laughing, but Cloud could tell he'd been crying. By the slightly worried look on Axel's face, Cloud figured he could tell too. Roxas said his goodbyes then began to push Cloud home. Once they reached their yard, Cloud decided to push Roxas into one of the lawn chairs. Roxas twisted to get comfortable, then reached out and grabbed Cloud's hand. Roxas' hand shook and Cloud gave him a knowing look.

"Did you have fun?"

"Yeah. Axel's really nice."

"Hm. Diner's done and it's probably just us tonight."

"Why?"

"Dad's in jail again and Mom's trying to get him out, but I don't think it will happen this time." Cloud thought for a second then added, "He'll be in a bad mood tomorrow."

"O-oh. At least it'll be quiet tonight."

"Hey, Roxas? Don't let Dad find out about Axel. I don't want him going after you more than he already is."

"W-what are you talking about?"

"Congrats on having your first boyfriend. Just don't let Dad find out."

"W-w-we aren't...I mean...we're not together."

"Yet."

Roxas, whose face was a brilliant shade of red, smacked Cloud on the arm before wheeling him into the house.

Dinner turned out to be hot dogs.

* * *

**AN- Roxas' dad's name means 'tyrant'. This chapter is named after the song ****Morphine by Digital Summer.**** Disclaimer-I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the bands that I happen to mention. This is for the entire story cause I don't want to type it out again.**


	6. This is a Call

**AN- I think the chapters are gradually getting longer... Oh well.**

* * *

Roxas shifted in his sleep, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. Cloud sat next to the bed, just watching as Roxas slept. Every once in a while, he would brush Roxas' bangs from his face. Cloud couldn't help but wonder if he was the source of Roxas' trouble. Roxas had never pulled, but when Cloud had come back from the hospital, wheeled in by his mother, he noticed patches in Roxas' hair. It only took one day to to realize what was happening. Cloud wished he could turn back time, not for himself, but for Roxas.

There was a lound noice, like the sound of a car door being slammed and Cloud's head jerked up at the sound of the front door being opened. Slowly, he left Roxas' room and went into the hallway.

"You stupid bitch! What took you so long?"

"They wouldn't let you leave. I tried!"

"If that red haired bastard hadn't pulled me over...! Do you know what time it is!"

"Honey, please. The kids are sleeping."

Cloud went back to Roxas' room and locked the door. He heard steps coming up the ramp as he checked so see if the door was locked.

"Oh, Cloud? Why are you up so late? It's four in the morning."

His mom looked at him with concered eyes. She was still in her pajamas and her hair was a mess. Her eyes were sunken in and her face pale. Cloud wondered if she was eating right.

"I was checking on Roxas. He was having a nightmare."

"Oh. Is he ok now?"

Cloud nodded. There were more steps coming up the ramp and Cloud braced himself.

"Huh? What're you doing out here?"

His dad stumbled on the carpet, the beer in his hand spilling out. It seeped into the carpet, and the smell of alcohol become apparent. Cloud refused to answer. He had refused to speak to the man for years, and Cloud wondered why the man even bothered to talk to him.

"I asked you a question. What the hell are you doing out here?"

Cloud ignored him and his mother gave him a worried look.

"Honey, he was just checking up on Roxas, just like any good brother would do. Right, Cloud?"

Cloud nodded, refusing to look at his father as he answered. His father's face contorted in rage and he threw his beer to the gorund.

"Now you listen here! I'm not going to put up with your attitude any longer! You better damn well answer me the next time I talk to you! And stay away from Roxas. He doesn't need a freak like you influencing him! You understand me?"

"Nnnn. What's going on?"

Cloud's eyes widened as he realized that the yelling had woken up Roxas. Roxas took one look around and instantly knew what was happening. His father was drunk again. Cloud was 'arguing' with him, and Mom was trying to calm things down.

With a dark glare toward Cloud, their father walked down the hall toward his room and slammed the door behind him. All three of them winced at the noise. Cloud felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Roxas. Cloud quickly spotted a new bald spot above Roxas' left temple, and mentally sighed. He reached up and grasped Roxas' hand lightly. Their mother gave them an apologetic smile, then headed off to bed.

"I'm sorry that you got woken up by that."

"It's ok. I don't mind."

Cloud was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Go back to bed."

Roxas shook his head. "It's a good thing I woke up. I forgot to do something," he said, giving Cloud's hand a light sqeeze before heading into the bathroom.

Cloud thought he heard coughing but couldn't tell over the sound of the sink faucet.

* * *

Axel woke up to the sound of Kairi sceaming about something.

"EWEWEW! Whos' hair is that!"

Axel groaned and pulled his pillow over his head. It was a pointless action, because his alarm began to go off.

"Ugh. I hate mornings."

Axel threw off the blankets just as Kairi ran into his room.

"There is a wad of hair on the bathroom floor!"

Axel groaned again, rubbing his eyes, and said, "There's hair in the brushes, too, and I don't see you screaming about that."

"The brush is used by us and we have _red_ hair. That wad is blond. I don't want to get lice!"

Axel lifted his head after Kairir said that the hair was blond. _I guess this will prove it_, Axel thought as he stood and went to the bathroom. Just as Kairi said, it was blond. Axle noticed it was the same shade as Roxas' hair.

"I guess he does pull," Axel mumbled to himself.

Kairi leaned around. "Who?"

"No one."

Kairi pursed her lips, obviously thinking about something. "Is it Roxas?"

Axel took a deep breath. Of course Kairi would know it's Roxas. She knew about hair pulling problems, they both did. This wasn' t the first time they met someone who had the same problem.

"Yeah. Just don't let him know that you know. I want him to tell us when he's ready for us to know, alright?"

Kairi nodded, then was quiet again for a few seconds. "So, Roxas has the same problem as-"

"Yes, they have the same problem. Thanks for stating the obvious."

"Are you gonna take Roxas to one of your group things?"

Axel gave her an annoyed look before shooing her out of the bathroom. He reached down and picked the wad up. He looked at it for a second before throwing it away, mumbling, "That's a lot of hair."

Axel washed his face and spiked his hair back. He looked at his reflection, noticing the dark circles under his eyes, and said, "It might be a good idea to have them meet each other."

* * *

Cloud called Roxas' school and told them that Roxas wouldn't be in today. He let Roxas sleep through his alarm, hoping that the extra sleep would help him a bit. Needless to say, when Roxas woke up, he freaked out. He ran around, nearly falling on his face as he tried to pull his pants on and run to the bathroom at the same time.

"Oh my god! I'm gonna be late!"

He brushed his teeth while he also brushed his hair. He didn't have time to spike it forward, so he hoped that the hair gell from yesterday would keep it in shape a little. The result was hair that barely stood up. Roxas didn't care.

He ran back to his room and gathered his supplies, hastily throwing them in his backpack. He pulled his socks on and slipped his shoes on. He grabbed a random shirt and threw it on, not even caring if it matched the rest of what he was wearing.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh my god! Cloud, I'm going to be late for school!"

Cloud chuckled. "I called you in sick this morning. Relax."

Roxas froze, his arm still stuck on his shirt sleave.

"W-what?"

"You didn't get that mich sleep last night, so you don't have to go to school today."

"Call the school and tell them you made a mistake. I have to go to school."

"Why? Do you have a project due today?"

Roxas finished getting dressed and grabbed his things.

"I don't want to be here when dad gets home. He was too tired last night to be the way he usually is. I don't want to be in his path when he decides to vent."

Cloud sighed, before saying, "You've already missed the bus and I told Axel that you were staying home. I don't know how you'll get to school. Besides, it's past ten."

* * *

Roxas decided to walk anyway. The school was only about a mile and a half from his house.

He sat in the front office as he waited for a pass so he could go to class. The secretary had been on the phone when he walked in and showed no sign of stopping anytime soon. He had already finished his homework, so he had nothing to do. He realized that he hadn't done his breathing excersizes when he started coughing.

"Roxas? Is that you?"

Roxas looked up, his hand covering the blood on his lip. There was a girl standing in front of him, a curious look on her face. She looked familiar.

"Your name is Roxas, right? Remember, I helped when you fell down the stairs."

"Oh! You're Namine."

She smiled, as Roxas tried to wipe the blood away without her noticing. He coughed again, and he tasted blood. Unfortunetly, Namine noticed this time.

"Oh my gosh! Roxas are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"That's not what it looks like. I'll get you a pass to the nurse."

"It's ok, I don't need to go to the nurse. She already knows. I just need to get to class."

Namine walked up to a desk and began looking for passes as a student walked into the office holding a pass. He was wearing a name tag, so Roxas figured he was an office aid. The aid walked up to the counter.

"Roxas isn't here today." He said as he tossed the pass onto the counter.

When he heard his name, Roxas stood and went to the counter.

"I'm here."

The secretary looked up as he said that. Without stopping her conversation on the phone, she gave him the pass and waved him away. Namine gave up on the finding a pass when she seen that Roxas already had one and followed him out of the office.

"Who called you out?"

Roxas looked down at the pass. "It looks like it was the guidance office."

"Are you sure you don't need to go to the nurse? You were coughing up blood."

Roxas nodded as he pulled the door open and went up to the desk.

"Um...I was called out."

The woman looked up and held out a hand for his pass. He handed it over. She typed somethings into the computer before she said why he was called in.

"You have an open hour next semester. We need to fix that. Are you interested in anything?"

"I had each hour filled in when I signed up for classes." Roxas said, feeling confused.

"You signed up for film lit. and the teacher retired. We couldn't find anyone to replace him, so we dropped the class."

"Oh."

"I noticed that you haven't taken any art classes. Are you interested?"

Namine looked up. "Art? I'm a student aid for drawing and I know there are open seats for more. It's fun."

Roxas shook his head. "I, uh, I'm terrible at drawing."

Namine smiled. "She doesn't care if you can draw or not. As long as you try, she's happy with what you draw."

Without asking, the lady added drawing to Roxas' schedule. She printed off a copy and handed it to him. Roxas looked it over as she wrote out a new pass. He was handed the pass and he left with a confused look on his face. Namine snatched the paper and looked it over.

"I promise that drawing isn't going to be bad. Sometimes we play card games in there."

Roxas sighed. "I have to go to class."

Namine smiled and said, "Have fun. I'll see you next semester."

* * *

The bell for his lunch hour was ringing, so he went straight there. He kept clear of Seifer and his gang while he headed to a table. He saw Axel's bright red hair and walked toward him. Axel had his head on the table and appeared to be sleeping. Roxas sant down as quietly as he could. He just watched as Axel slept, taking in how peaceful he looked. Then he noticed something.

Axel's jacket sleaves had ridden up and his wrists were lined with scars. Roxas knew that they weren't from cutting. The scars looked warped, as if they had been burned into his skin.

* * *

**AN- Woohoo! Another chapter! This is a Call-Thousand Foot Krutch.**


	7. Breathe Into Me

**AN-****Sorry about how late this is. School = DX It's seems kinda fillerish at times, but trust me, it's important!**

* * *

The bell was about to ring and Roxas shook Axel, trying to wake him up. Axel had slept through the whole hour, but Roxas didn't mind. He shook him again.

"Hmm...just a few more minutes."

Roxas shook him one more time. "Axel, wake up. the bell's about to ring. You'll be late for class."

Axel raised his head and blinked. His eyes widened when he saw Roxas.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were sick."

"I decided to come to school. Did I miss anything in pre-cal?"

Axel shook his head "We're doing the same stuff as yesterday. No homework today. Thank god."

Roxas nodded with a distracted look on his face. Axel raised an eyebrow, his chin resting on the table.

"What's up?"

Roxas hesitated before pointing at Axel's wrist.

"What happened?"

Axel frowned, pulled the sleeves down, and looked toward the floor. He shook his head lightly.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Roxas put his hand on Axel's back and, after a second, began rubbing softly. Roxas instantly regretted asking; Axel seemed to lose every bit a happiness when he asked.

"Ok. When you're ready."

The bell rang just as Roxas decided to do something that made him a little nervous. He watched as Axel slowly and quietly gathered his things. Axel turned to walk away, but Roxas stopped him. Axel gave him a confused look. Roxas' hands shook as they pulled Axel down and he pressed his lips against Axel's. Roxas kept his eyes squeezed shut, even when he pulled away.

Roxas didn't know why he did that. After all, they had just met. However, Roxas couldn't keep the smile off his face when Axel pulled him into a hug. It felt so right.

* * *

The brown spikes are mearly proof of the pulling. The hair grows in, creating mismatched lengths that stand out. The hands grip each other, keeping them from the head. The finger tips are covered in band-aids to help the mind stop. The hands refuse to move, despite the urge. It's been two days. The urge remains.

* * *

The brown haired boy opened the door to his house. He throws his backpack onto the floor and walks into the kitchen. His mom is washing dishes at the sink. He sneaks up behind her as quietly as he can.

"I know that's you Sora."

"Darn it! I haven't been able to scare you in weeks!"

His mom sighed before saying, "You only try to scare me when you want something, so what is it?"

Sora crossed his arms behind his back and bit his bottom lip. "Who says I want something?"

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. Sora bit his lip even more.

"Ummm... Can-do you mind if Riku stays over?"

"How did I know that was what you were going to ask? He's standing outside the door isn't he?"

"Maybe..."

"Fine. Don't forget that we moved the furniture around, so make sure he knows where everything is," she said as she turned back to the dishes.

"Thank you so much! I love you, Mom!"

"Only when you want something."

Sora ran to the door and opened it. Riku turned toward the door when he heard it open. The wind was blowing slightly making his hair and the ends of his blindfold sway softly.

"I guess I can stay?"

"Yep!"

Riku pushed past Sora, whacking him with his cane, and walked into the house.

"Wa-wait! We moved stuff!"

Sora's warning came to late. _BAM, THUD!_ Followed by a yell.

"WHAT THE?"

Sora's mom came running into the room when she heard the noise. She ran in to see Riku half on and half off the arm of the couch, with Sora just standing there.

"I told you to show him where everything was!"

Sora reached down to help Riku up, but he was swatted away. Riku's hands fumbled for his cane. His hand tightened around the handle when he found it. Cautiously, he rose to his feet, his hand keeping a firm grip on the couch. Sora's mom left once she decided Riku wasn't hurt.

"A-are you ok, Riku?"

Riku groaned while he rubbed his head. Sora tried to help him again, but Riku hit him with his cane.

"What else is moved?"

Sora froze. He and his mom had redecorated the whole house. It was silent for a few seconds, before Riku said, "Everything is moved, isn't it?"

"Maybe..."

"That's fantastic..."

Sora froze, his teeth once again biting his lip. "I can show you where everything is at."

Riku sighed, before reaching one hand out in the direction he thought Sora was in. He was off by a bit, but Sora gently grabbed his hand. Slowly, Sora pulled Riku through the room, making sure Riku's hand passed over every piece of furniture they passed. When Riku stumbled over something, Sora steadied him before slowly moving on.

Riku frowned, and said, "You really did move everything. It's gonna take a while for me to memorize where it's all at now."

"Sorry about that."

"Don't be. I have to realize that not every family keeps things in the same spot all of the time."

Sora laughed. They reached the stairs and Sora put Riku's hand on the rail. "Still fifteen steps, but we moved the table, so it's right in front of the stairs."

Riku nodded and began walking up the stairs. When he reached the top, he slowly searched for the table. He found it and began walking beside it to see how long it was. He felt several nicks and dents in it as his hand ran across it.

"Hey, Sora. Is this the table that used to be next to the bathroom?"

"Yeah."

"Is this the only thing in this hallway?"

"Yep."

"That makes things easier for me, thanks."

Riku's hand reached out, and, with his hand touching the wall, he began walking down the hall. His hand passed over one closed door, and he stopped at the second. He started to search for the door handle, but Sora stopped him.

"Wait! I've got a surprise for you!"

Sora out Riku's hand onto the plaque hanging from his door.

"Read it."

Riku shook his head. "I can't read, Sora. Besides-wait." Riku traced the sign with his fingers. "Braille?"

Sora smiled. "Yep. Although, could you read it so I know it says what I want it to say?"

Riku frowned before sliding his fingers over the sign. "'Sora and Riku's room.' Sora you didn't need to..."

"I wanted to! You're over here so much you might as well live here."

Riku smiled as he opened the door. He paused before walking in. "Did you move anything?"

"Nope, and it's clean so you don't have to worry about tripping," Sora said as he walked in and sat on the bed. A couple seconds later Riku sat down next to him.

"Hey, Riku? Why haven't you been coming to meetings?"

Riku sighed. "Mom's been have more of her 'moments', so I couldn't leave. I don't think Dad's going to stay much longer."

Sora played with the band-aids on his fingers. "Oh. Axel hasn't shown up lately either. I hope he hasn't burned himself again."

"Axel's the kind of person who needs a reason to do something. He won't stop until he has someone to stop for."

"There's a meeting this Saturday. Do you think you'll make it?'

"I'll try, but no promises."

Sora turned to look at Riku. They had only met each other about a year ago, but Riku had changed a lot physically. He was taller now by about a foot and his chest and shoulders were broader. He'd grown his hair out so now it hung past his shoulders. The blindfold was partially covered by his bangs. His hair had lightened, so now it looked like snowy silver instead of the soft gray it used to be. It contrasted strongly with the black blindfold.

"Why do you wear that blindfold? You never told me."

Riku stiffened slightly at the question, before relaxing. "I never did tell you,did I? Well, when I lost my sight, Mom said that she never wanted to see my eyes again unless I could see her. I wear it so that she has to face the fact that I'm blind now. She'll never come to terms with it otherwise."

Sora blinked. "That doesn't mean you have to wear it over here. Um...Could I see your eyes?"

"No."

Sora leaned forward, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Why?"

"I just don't want to."

"Please!"

"How about this. When you stop pulling, I'll show you my eyes."

"Ha! I haven't pulled in two days!"

"Stop for a month and then we'll talk."

"Rikuuuuu."

Riku laughed as Sora lightly punched him on the arm. The punch turned into a wrestling match that ended with Sora pinned on his stomach.

"How do you always win? You're blind! I'm supposed to have the advantage."

Riku just laughed.

* * *

**AN-How many of you saw that coming? Breathe Into Me-RED  
Review, please!**


	8. Still Frame

**AN- Sorry that this is late! Thanksgiving was a BLAST! (I ate too much...) I don't own Great Clips either, I just get my hair cut there.**

* * *

Roxas walked down the hallway, occasionally pushed or bumped into by other students. He took his time, knowing that Axel was giving him a ride. The hallways were mostly empty since students were rushing so that they wouldn't be late to their bus. Roxas reached his locker, but it wouldn't open. He pulled at the handle, but it seemed like it was stuck on something. When Roxas looked, he saw that his locker had been glued shut.

"Having trouble?"

Roxas froze. His hands shook as he turned. Seifer stood leaning against the lockers, a dark smirk on his face. His hands were in his pockets so Roxas couldn't tell if he had anything on him.

"N-no, I'm not."

There was a dark laugh. "Not what it looks like."

Roxas swallowed as Seifer walked closer. When he stopped, they were only a few inches apart. Roxas' hands shook as he saw Seifer raise his hand. He braced himself but was surprised by the sound of his locker opening.

"Your welcome."

Roxas nodded, in shock that Seifer would do something nice for him. He turned to grab his things and was slammed to the floor. His arms were twisted behind his back before he could register what was going on. Weight was put onto his back as he was held down.

"G-get off me!"

"I saw you and red-head at lunch. I thought you were a freak before, but now you're a fag too. After what happened to Cloud, you should know better. And you're pulling Red into this too."

Roxas froze. Seifer would tell everyone. Who knew what would happen to Axel if word got out.

"You should know that God hates gays, Roxas. Your brother is proof af that. He got what he deserved. You'll get what you deserve too. But to pull the new guy into this? Who knows what'll happen if your dad finds out. Cloud's _friend_ was spared because he left. But Red doesn't seem like that kind of person."

"Leave Axel out of this."

"Oh, so his name's Axel," Seifer said as he pressed Roxas' head against the floor. "You're in no position to make threats. Our parents are such good friends and I would hate to accidentally say something. Besides, this wasn't what I came here for. I came to help you out."

Seifer shifted. Roxas froze, trying to figure out what he was doing.

"Now, hold still. I wouldn't want to cut off something important."

_Snip._Roxas froze as he saw hair fall down next to his face.

"N-no! Stop!"

"You obviously don't want it, so I'm getting rid of it for you."

"No! Please!"

Seifer just laughed.

"Hey, Roxas! Where are you?"

They both froze. The sound of foot steps came down the hallway and Seifer jumped up. The foot steps came closer.

"You tell anyone, and your dad'll find out," Seifer hissed before he ran off.

"Roxas? Are you hiding from me?"

Roxas pulled himself up into a sitting position. His hands went up to his head. He was relieved to discover that not much had been cut off.

"Roxas? What are you doing on the floor?"

Roxas looked up to see Axel staring down at him. He saw Axel's eyes widen as he noticed Roxas' hair. Axel dropped to his knees and ripped Roxas' hands from his head.

"What happened?"

"I j-just pulled it out."

"Liar. It's been cut."

Roxas shook his head. Axel frowned and looked at his locker.

"What do you need for homework?"

"Animal science and Japanese."

Axel grabbed the books and pulled Roxas up. Without saying a word, he started toward the front doors. Roxas stumbled behind, his arm still gripped tightly. Axel's pace quickened when they reached the doors. He shoved the doors open using his shoulder without even slowing down. Roxas struggled to keep up. They reached the car and Roxas climbed inside. Roxas flinched at the sound of the car door being slammed shut. He risked glancing at Axel, then quickly looked away. His expression was murderous.

"Who did it?"

Roxas jumped at the tone.

"No one."

Axel slammed his hands against the steering wheel.

"God damnit, Roxas! I'm not stupid! I didn't say anything in there because someone was listening. I could hear his footsteps as he walked away. Who was it?"

"I don't want you to get hurt."

Axel sighed. "I'm not scared of some kid."

"It's not a kid who'd hurt you."

"Well it wasn't an adult who did that to you."

"Please, just drop it."

"Give me a name and I'll make sure it never happens again."

"You'll get hurt."

"I'm not saying I'm gonna go beat his ass, I'm saying that you won't be alone like that again. The hallway was empty, and I can guarantee that he won't try it during school."

"Can we go? Kairi probably waiting."

Axel turned and looked Roxas in the eyes.

"Roxas, I promise I won't start anything. Just tell me who."

Roxas shook his head. Axel started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Was it the guy who jumped you before?"

Roxas shook his head before he could stop himself.

"Was it the blond guy with the stupid hat?"

"S-seifer?"

"It's him, isn't it? He's the only other person who started shit with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw him throw hair in your food on the first day I started."

Roxas looked away and slowly nodded.

"I won't start anything with him, I promise."

Axel blew a few stop signs, hoping to make it to Kairi's school faster. She was standing outside with her arms crossed when they pulled into the parking lot.

"Well, you guys are late," she said, chuckling lightly.

"Deal with it cause we're gonna be late going home too."

"Huh?"

"Demyx is working today, right?"

"Yeah, why? Are you gonna get a hair cut?"

"You'll see."

Roxas looked up.

"Whos' Demyx?"

Axel smiled at him. "A friend."

* * *

"Hey, Axel! I haven't seen you in a while."

Roxas watched as a sandy blond man hugged Axel. His hair was styled like a cross between a mohawk and a mullet. His name tag read _Welcome to Great Clips. My name is Demxy._ It was pinned to a nice blue sweater. Axel and _Demyx _started a conversation, so Roxas decided to look around. Kairi was looking at some of the hair shampoos on a self that covered an entire wall. There were several other people having their hair down, and Roxas was shocked at the amount of hair being swept up on the floor.

"Sooo, you're Roxas. Right?"

Roxas jumped as a hand was thrust into his face.

"Hi, I'm Demyx and I'm going to be doing your hair today. Do you know how you want it done?"

Roxas froze and his eyes widened.

"W-what do you mean?"

_Demyx_ smiled. "Don't worry. I'm just gonna make it look a little nicer. Besides, Axel already paid for it."

Minutes latter, Roxas was sitting with Demyx clipping his hair. Roxas watched his reflection in the mirror during the whole thing. When Roxas felt nervous watching his hair flutter down, he'd glance over at Axel who was reading a magazine. The sight made him laugh because the thing had to be the most girly magazine in the world.

"Tada! We're done!"

Roxas looked at his reflection closely. There wasn't much of a change except that his hair was a little shorter and some of his spots were hidden.

Demyx walked them to the door. Roxas walked out, alone with Kairi. Axel began to follow, but was stopped by Demyx tugging on his jacket sleeve.

"Next meeting is this Saturday. Be there."

Axel's eyes widened, before he let out a sigh. "I'll try."

Demyx nodded, then waved him off.

* * *

Axel sta on his bed, staring at Roxas' house through his window, a phone held softly in his hands. Axel guessed that Roxas was asleep by this time and sighed. The sky was dark and it was raining lightly. Finally, after staring at the phone, Axel punched in numbers. The phone rang for a few seconds before a groggy voice answered. Axel smiled nervously.

"Hey, just the person I wanted to talk to. I, uh, have something to ask you."

...

"How's anger management going?"

...

"Sooo...You wouldn't mind venting on someone?"

...

"What do you mean?"

...

Axel laughed nervously.

"Yeah, I know you know where I live. But, for once I didn't call you asking to get beat up. There's someone I promised _I_ wouldn't touch, but the guy seriously needs to get the shit kicked out of him."

...

"No. I don't want to talk about. Look, you get to beat someone up. I thought you'd jump at this."

...

"No, don't hospitalize him. That wouldn't help any. Just beat him up."

...

"Alright, thanks. His name's Seifer. Do you know him?"

...

"Look, I told you I promised I wouldn't touch the guy. That's why I called you."

...

"I wanna keep this promise, though. So, could you do that for me?"

...

"Awesome. Thanks."

...

"Look, I'll try to make the meeting, but I'm not guaranteeing anything."

...

"No, I haven't burned myself. Hey, you're one talk about relapsing!"

...

Axel laughed.

"Alright. See ya."

* * *

**AN- Sorry this is late. I tried to make up for it with a longer chapter! (X_x)  
The updates are gonna be really slow for a couple months, but they should speed up after that...should.  
Still Frame-Trapt**


	9. Blurry

**AN**-** I haven't played Birth by Sleep in a while, so I apologize if I get Terra's character wrong. I remember him as being supportive and loyal, if somewhat quiet, so that's what I went with.**

* * *

_The waves washed up on the shore, the sound soothing a relaxing. The man sat at the lifeguard's post, chatting with some of his fellow lifeguards. The day was peaceful, the sky partly cloudy, with a gentle breeze. He laughed at a joke exactly as a small child went under a wave. _

_The girl's mother screamed in fear as he ran toward the water. Seconds later he reached the spot where she went under and dived. Her eyes were open and staring, blank. His hand closed around hers as he pulled her upward. The water ripped her from his grasp._

_He tried to save her, but the tide pulled her further and further out. Further from his reach. The man nearly died, and he had to be pulled from the water by another lifeguard. _

_He never swam again._

Demyx woke with a start, his hands holding his shirt in a death grip. He panted heavily, his face glistening lightly from sweat. His eyes whipped back and forth as he tried to figure out where he was. Everywhere he looked, all he saw was water and waves. Then the image began to fade. He was in his room, not at the beach. The floor was gray carpet, not sand. His ceiling was above him, not the sky. His breathing slowed as he relaxed.

_Knock, knock_.

"Demyx, are you ok?"

Demyx was still panting as Namine entered the room. His eyes locked with her's in a silent plea for her to leave. She ignored the look and ran to his bed.

"Did you have that dream again?"

Demyx shoved her hands away and, turning over, told her to leave. Instead, she sat on the edge of his bed.

"There was nothing you could have done, Demyx. It wasn't your fault. Please, believe me."

"Just go away."

She sighed, before leaning down. She brushed his bangs from his face and whispered, "Night." Then she left, slowly closing the door to his room. The hallway lights flicked on and Namine looked up to see her mother.

"Honey? It's so late. What are you doing up?"

Namine hesitated before replying, "Demyx was having that dream again."

Her mother's eyes widened and she glanced at the shut door with a worried look. She hesitated, deciding whether to go in or not. When she looked back at Namine, she seemed to be so much older than she was.

"I'm glad you were there for him, Namine. You're such a good sister."

Namine just nodded, silently hoping that she was good enough to pull him from his past horrors.

Demyx lay in his bed, unable to think with the dream haunting him.

_"I should have been able to... I mean, why have all that training only to fail?"_

_The man sat in the hospital bed, his head grasped in his hands._

_"I-it's all my fault."_

* * *

"Riku! Where have you been? I've been so worried!"

Riku sighed as his mother grasped him by his shoulders. Her hands traced over his face, down his arms, and across his chest. He could feel the strength of her gaze as she checked him over.

"I'm not hurt, Mom. Sora wouldn't let that happen."

"Y-you never know."

Riku sighed, then started for his room. His mother trailed behind, occasionally pointing out furniture. Riku ignored most of what she was saying. He knew where everything was.

"Ah! Watch out for the chair." Her hand tugged on the back of his shirt, causing his shin to collide with a couch. He forced himself not to react to the sharp sting for fear that his mother would notice.

"I know where it is, Mom."

"You can never be too careful."

Her hand never left his back, and he could feel her pushing him in certain directions. It annoyed him, but he had learned years ago to ignore it as best as he could. She tugged again, unnecessarily.

"Your room's right here."

Riku sighed again, his hand gripping the door handle. He felt his mother's hand close around his.

"Let me get it for you."

Riku was about to reply, but was cut off by his cousin's voice.

"Aunt Gina, it's close to dinner. Do you need help cooking?"

She turned, her eyes going wide. "Oh, no. You don't need to help me. I can do it," she said before hurrying to the kitchen.

Riku smiled softly and shifted when he felt a hand gripping his shoulder.

"Thanks, Terra."

His shoulder was squeezed lightly and Riku sensed Terra walk away. Riku turned and asked, "How long are you going to be staying?"

Terra stopped walking and the hallway suddenly felt too quiet.

"I don't know yet. My father is still trying to convince your mother to let you live with us, but I heard it's not going well."

Riku knew his mother would never let him go, but he had still been holding on to the hope that maybe, just maybe he might be able to live with his uncle and Terra. His shoulders drooped and he turned back to his door and forced it open. Right before he shut the door behind him, he heard Terra say, "You're not invalid, Riku."

Riku smiled before collapsing onto his bed and drifting into a deep sleep.

* * *

Dinner was awkward, to say the least. Riku purposely made sure that Terra sat between him and his mother. He could feel his mother's gaze on him as Terra handed him a bread roll.

"I could make your plate for you."

Riku tensed. Terra tapped his shoulder lightly and he relaxed slightly.

"I'll take care of it, Aunt Gina. You should eat. You look tired."

His mother said nothing, but Riku heard silver wear clattering onto a plate.

"Get out."

Riku froze and he felt Terra's grip tighten.

"You're trying to take him from me! But I won't let you! Get out, now!"

"Aunt-"

"Get out!"

Terra's hand patted Riku's shoulder before he stood. Riku could hear everything so clearly, but it felt as if it was being filtered. Terra pushed his chair in and took his dishes to the sink. He walked past and into the living room, then into the hallway. A door opened, then closed. Minutes later, a door opened again, then closed. Foot steps came from the hallway, but they weren't Terra's. The steps continued into the dining room. A chair was pulled out, about three seats away, and someone sat down.

"He's not going anywhere."

_Dad_, Riku thought,_ he's still here. He didn't leave._

"But, honey, he-"

"He's trying to help and you throw it back in his face. Get over it. He's not leaving."

There was silence and no one said anything. No one moved. Except for his mom.

"Riku, what do you want to eat? I'll make your plate for you."

"No you won't. The boy's gotta learn to do it himself. But if you wanna make someone's plate, make mine. I'm tired."

Dinner continued in silence. Riku refused to try to take food, knowing him would most likely drop some on the table, and ate bread rolls. After he finished his fifth one, he stood to take his dishes to the sink. He heard rustling coming from his mom, and he knew she was going to stand up.

"Here, Riku. I'll-"

"Sit down. He's gotta do things without our help. He's eighteen, for Christ's sake."

Riku felt around for the sink, and, when he found it, set his dishes down. Then he cautiously walked past his mother, hoping she wouldn't follow him. He breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't follow and made his way to the room Terra was staying in. Riku slowly opened the door and instantly noticed that it was quiet.

"Terra?"

"I'm laying down on the bed. I knew I wasn't leaving, so I didn't pack."

"Alright. I'm going to my room."

Riku couldn't tell, but Terra nodded.

* * *

"Hey, have you heard? Seifer's in the hospital and on life support." "What? No way! What happened?" "According to Rai, he must have been jumped by a whole group of people." "Oh my god. Does anyone know who they were?" "That's the thing, no knows. The police can't ask Seifer cause he's in a coma, and no one has any idea who would have done this. No one saw what happened either." "A coma?" "Yeah. I've heard that the doctors don't think he's gonna make it."

The blue haired man listened to the conversation as he waited for the city bus. The two teens were so engrossed by their conversation that they didn't know that he was listening. He gave a low, quiet laugh.

"They think it was a group. He was just too weak."

The man looked up as the bus came to a stop. Standing quickly, he pushed past the teens and took a seat at the back of the bus.

* * *

**AN- Review please!**


	10. Chapter 10

I know you were expecting an update...

But at the recomendation of my psychiatrist, I'm going to put this story on hold. I know you guys really wanted me to finish this, but it's just not possible at this time in my life.

I truely did want to finish this, but it was adding to my already high stress. I know a story doesn't seem like much stress, so I'm sorry if you think it's a lame excuse.

I'm truely sorry to the people I promised. I have no idea when I'll finish this thing, but I know it won't be for some time.


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